DuBois is annouced as a partner for the New KCI Airport Project

Burns & McDonnell announces its 20 new partners for its single-terminal KCI plan.

DuBois Consultants CEO- Ajamu Webster, PE

From the “KC Built. KC Pride.” banners to the backdrop of the downtown skyline to the sprinkle of reps wearing Love KC shirts, Burns & McDonnell portrayed itself as the true hometown team during its KCI announcement Tuesday morning.

The firm revealed 20 locally owned and operated businesses that it will take on as partners for its single-terminal KCI proposal. Proposals are due July 27, with a selection expected to happen shortly after.

If the team is selected, the wealth of hometown talent will allow the roughly $1 billion KCI project to be started this year rather than next, as previously reported, said Ron Coker, a senior vice president at Burns & McDonnell.

Many partners spoke to the project’s inclusion of more minority and women-owned companies as well as displaced and young workers.

“They have invested not just in the projects, but in the team members and the firm owners on those projects,” DuBois Consultants founder and CEO Ajamu Webster said. “They create opportunities for us to learn to grow to scale. And as a person bear witness of that, I can tell you that after working with Burns & McDonnell over the past few years, my firm has more than doubled in size.”